Brown Hairstreak – Favourite Photo 2024

[Wurzel]

Brown Hairstreak – Favourite Photo 2024

Week 2

If the other weeks pass as quickly as that one we’ll be spotting awoken hibernators before you know it! This week we pass from the B’s into the C’s…

Please could I ask that everyone waits until a topic has been opened by me for a particular species before posting photos as then it will be easier to keep track of things? Of course our overseas members are very welcome to fill in the obvious gaps relating to rare UK migrants. As in previous years details of locations, dates, times and circumstances would be welcome as would any accompanying stories and anecdotes or other observations of behaviour and interesting other points.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[millerd]

Brown Hairstreaks were not as easy to find in 2024 as they had been the previous year on visits to the usual "hotspot" sites of Bookham in Surrey and Shipton Bellinger on the Hants/Wilts border. I did succeed at both locations, but my favourite shots actually come from Denbies Hillside. In fact I came across the species twice here when not looking for them at all...

This particular one made life very difficult (precarious, even) by sitting on the wrong side of the blackthorn on a particularly steep bit of hillside.

Dave

[Wurzel]

Brown Hairstreak

I chose this as my favourite shot for several reasons. First it was my ‘reward’ for risking a soaking or electrocution from the threatened yet non-materialising Thunderstorms all the weather apps were one hundred percent certain would occur. Second it was consolation for being on me own and without my butterfly buddies who had sensibly postponed the trip due to the aforementioned apocalyptic weather predictions. Thirdly I choice this shot in particular as it was the best of a very good bunch being the ‘classic’ side profile image. The final and main reason for its selection is that it all came about I am sure because I called wife whilst out in the field. I noticed previously that my wife often chooses to call just as my quarry or something very interesting has appeared. In fact I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had my shots lined up only for my phone to start ringing. This time however I used it to my advantage and actually called my wife before I’d found anything. Sure enough a couple of sentences in down came this little beauty! Coincidence some might say, but whatever, I think it was all part of a masterplan.

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[MrSp0ck]

Brown Hairstreak have continued their spread into Kent, ive been mapping this since 2019. Had to extend the map again. Here are a few Brown Hairstreak pictures one at Farleigh Dean Crescent, where i was trying to find one for a visitor, and found this one 10 minutes before he had to go, and one on the last Surrey BC walk of the year at Cranleigh.

September 2024

October 2024

[David M]

Just saw them once this year, on 16th August at the usual site at West Williamston in Pembrokeshire.

The first one seen was in excellent condition, but I couldn't get in position from the right side of the butterfly:

The other four I saw were either worn or partly wing damaged:

[bugboy]

I think it was probably business as usual for this species after last years bonanza and the previous years virtual no show. The first one was a fresh male that popped up under Millerds and my nose just when we'd thought we weren't going to find any (one of their favourite tricks)

the second was from Epsom Common at the Black Hairstreak hotspot, probably the freshest looking female I found this year.

[Vince Massimo]

This year I had a male emerge in my Crawley garden from an egg laid on a potted Blackthorn.

Brown Hairstreak - Crawley, Sussex 18-July-2024

Vince